Venus flytrap care at home. Venus flytrap home care what to feed wintering

Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant that is part of the Rosyankovye family. She is the only representative of a kind of Dioneus. scientific name the plant was probably given to him by mistake. From Latin, it translates as "mousetrap." In Russian, the flower is called venus in honor of the Roman Venus, the goddess of love and flowers. This plant is native to South America.

The Venus flytrap is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Description, photo and distinguishing feature of the Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap is a small herbaceous plant with a rosette of 4-7 leaves 4 to 7 cm long. Venus leaves grow from a short bulbous underground stem. Its flowers are small, shaped like a star, located at the ends of the stems. It blooms in early summer, and its total life expectancy is about 7 years. The formation of long leaves-traps occurs after flowering. Traps consist of two opposite petals with spikes on the edges. The outer part of them is painted bright green, the inner reddish.

Trap closing mechanism

The main feature of this plant are the leaves-traps. In nature, they are located close enough to the ground, so insects are easily caught in them. Inside each trap there are small hairs, they act as sensors.

A one-time touch on the antennae will not give any consequences. This is necessary in order to avoid "idle" slamming due to falling raindrops or branches on the traps. But when an insect touches two different hairs, the trap instantly closes. This happens very quickly, in 0.1 seconds. There is no exact description of how the trap works, but scientists believe that it is associated with the instantaneous transfer of water between plant cells.

After the trap is closed, the venus begins to secrete digestive enzymes and dissolves its prey within two weeks. After that, the trap is ready to search for a new victim. For your life cycle each trap can catch up to 7 insects.

Rules for caring for a venus flytrap at home

Place your Venus flytrap out of direct sunlight.

IN natural environment The Venus flytrap can be found in southeastern Northern California as well as in northeastern Carolina. It grows in open, sunny, moist meadows or swamps. Venus prefers swamps with peat and sandy soil. It can grow at home, but for this it is necessary to create conditions for it as close as possible to its natural habitat.

Location, lighting and optimum temperature

Venus flytrap is a photophilous plant. She needs at least 4-5 hours of light per day. The best option the location for it will be the western and eastern windows. You can also place it in the south, but you should be careful not to get direct sunlight through the glass on the Venus flytrap. They can be detrimental to the plant. Therefore, if it is impossible to avoid placement on the southern windows, then in the daytime summer hours it is better to remove the plant deep into the room or shade directly on the window. When located on north windows Venus will not have enough light, in which case artificial lighting can help.

As for the temperature, then Venus is quite hardy. In winter, it can be kept in bright rooms with a temperature of about 5-10 degrees, but if necessary, it will withstand lower temperatures. From spring to late autumn, it can be kept in open space e.g. on the balcony or in the garden.

Humidity and watering

Important - do not let the soil dry out

During the growth period (from spring to autumn), venus needs abundant watering. Don't let the soil dry out. You can even place a pot of venus in a 1-2 cm pan of water. You need to water it with distilled or filtered water. room temperature. During the winter dormancy, venus in cool rooms are watered infrequently.

For a comfortable existence of the Venus flytrap, the humidity must be maintained at 70%. To do this, you can constantly spray the venus or grow it in a terrarium.

Soil and fertilizer

The Venus flytrap prefers moist, poor and acidic soil, as its natural habitat is the Carolina swamps. Such soil can be achieved by mixing sphagnum moss and perlite in equal parts. It is impossible to use universal soil for venus, it will simply die in it.

The flycatcher does not need fertilizing. There is also no special need for feeding it with insects, since the plant receives food from photosynthesis. But, if you have a desire to do this, and your plant is healthy, then you need to follow a few rules:

1. The trap will only close if the trapped insect moves. Therefore, remember that it is necessary to feed the Venus only with live insects.
2. You can not feed a Venus with specific food. Flies or mealy worms, or any small arthropods, are suitable for food. In no case do not feed the flycatcher with ordinary food, as it will not be able to digest it and will die.
3. Venus should be fed no more than 2 times a month.
4. You can feed only 1-2 traps.

You can not feed a Venus if:

• not weak or sick;
• experienced stress, for example, in the form of sunburn;
• is in a period of rest;
• was recently transplanted.

Transplantation and reproduction of the Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap propagates by cuttings, seeds and bulbs.

Transplantation must be carried out every 2-3 years. It is best to do this in the spring, when the venus begins to grow. For more successful acclimatization the day before the transplant, you can treat the venus with Epin (2-3 drops of solution per 200 g of water). Prepare a special substrate for transplanting. If it is possible to check the acidity of the soil, then keep in mind that it should be at the level of 3.5-4.5 pH.

When transplanting, an earthen lump must be carefully removed from the pot, the bulb should be separated from the ground. Try not to touch the traps when transplanting. Deepen the Venus flytrap in the new pot so that the substrate covers all the whitish spots on the bulb. After transplantation, it will be optimal to place the pot in a tray and treat it again with Epin.

The main breeding options for Venus flytrap are: seeds, cuttings and bulbs.

Reproduction by cuttings

On an adult plant, several points of growth can be seen. This is the breeding material. Cuttings are cut at the base of the leaf and transplanted into the soil. Cover with a film to create a greenhouse effect Must be constantly maintained warm temperature in the redistribution of 25 degrees and high humidity. It is best to sprinkle the cut points of the plant with crushed coal in order to avoid decay.

Reproduction by seeds

Seeds are sown in early autumn. Pure peat is suitable as soil. They are laid out on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with sifted peat. It is necessary to create a small greenhouse for seeds with heating and lighting. It is better to water through the pan, the soil should be constantly wet. Approximately one month later, proper care seeds should germinate. With the onset of spring, the flycatcher must be gradually weaned from the sweat of the greenhouse, at the same time a dive is made. Produce it carefully so as not to damage the root system.

Reproduction by bulbs

Over time, venus forms daughter bulbs. They must be cut with a sharp knife and transplanted. It is necessary to ensure that the cut off bulbs have well-developed roots. The cut points of the mother plant must be treated with crushed charcoal to avoid rotting.

Diseases, pests and possible problems when growing

This is due to hard water.

Like all insectivores, Venus is rarely affected by pests. Occasionally it can be attacked spider mite and aphids. With excessive moisture, the flower can hit gray rot or black soot fungus. In this case, venus can be treated with a fungicide.

Possible growing problems:

• Leaves turn yellow but do not fall off. Most likely, there is an excess of calcium in the soil or you are watering the venus with too hard water;
• leaves turn yellow and fall off. This is a consequence of insufficient watering and overdrying of the soil.
• brown spots appeared on the tips of the leaves. This is a sign of overfertilization of the plant due to high doses or too frequent use. Also spots can be caused by sunburn;

Watch a short excerpt from the Venus flytrap broadcast.

One of the most unusual tropical plants a venus flytrap is considered, care for which at home is quite possible and very interesting. This plant is carnivorous, it eats insects, in features of easy flies, bees and similar species become prey for him. This flower comes from South America, most often it can be found in the peat bogs of South and North Carolina, in New Jersey and Georgia. Scientists believe that given plant must be included in the list of those species that are endangered. Therefore, in nature it is protected and certain sanctions are provided for the destruction of this flower.

Its name is translated from Latin as "mousetrap", but this is not quite the right name for it. Its second name is Dionaea Muscipula, it is believed that it was received in honor of Greek goddess Venus. There is a version that the outwardly opened leaves of the flycatcher are similar to the shell in which the goddess was. This carnivorous plant is quite popular all over the world, and it is planted more often as an exotic and unusual type of plant. In nature, it differs in its size and color of the traps.

But things are quite different with decorative species, this flower can be kept at home, it is more compact, and you can quite successfully grow new and young plants. It is interesting and unusual to observe this plant when it catches insects.

What does a flycatcher look like

The flower itself is small in height, the maximum can reach 15 cm. Each bush has up to 8-10 pcs. traps. They are a small flattened box with long fibers along the edge, outwardly they resemble the teeth of a predator. A specific feature of this flower is the ability to close its box when a fly or other insect gets inside. This is how this predator receives the necessary feeding in the form of insects. Inside the traps, the cavity is lubricated with a special juice that secretes Dioneus, it is he who attracts different insects. As soon as the trap closes, the plant begins the process of digestion of food, this happens again with the help of specially secreted juice, which allows you to digest food in 10-12 days. Once the process is complete, the flower pod will re-open to hunt insects.

Dionea blooms in late spring, it usually happens in May, its flowers are medium-sized, white color, located on a long handle and slightly rising above the bush itself. The flowering period lasts about 2 months, at the end, in place of the flowers, peculiar capsules are formed, filled with small black seeds. The leaves of this plant themselves are distinguished by special juiciness and brightness of color, they have a rich green tone.

Dionea has a specific appearance, and it certainly cannot be called a beautiful and sophisticated flower. But with all this, it is unusually interesting in its nature and the specifics of feeding. Precisely because of unusual look they plant a flower in their homes and offices, besides, it is quite unpretentious in its care, but it still requires certain knowledge in this matter.

Flycatcher care at home

Like any other plant, this species requires compliance with certain rules in the process of care and cultivation. For the successful growth of this flower, certain conditions must be observed.

Site selection and lighting

Since Dionea loves moisture and a lot of light in nature, it is necessary to create a similar climate for her at home. Initially, you should choose a well-lit place, it can be a south or south window sill. north side houses or glazed loggia. To maintain such a flower garden inside the room, it is worth additionally providing it with artificial lighting; fluorescent lamps are excellent for this. They are placed at a certain height, taking into account the fact that their light will scatter enough large area. In the summer, this predator will feel great on the street, it can be taken out into the garden and placed in a well-lit place, but during periods of intense heat it is better to put it in the shade.

Plant soil and watering

Watering is carried out according to certain requirements, the flower absorbs moisture from the pan, this allows you not to disturb the topsoil and not reduce the level of oxygen in the root system. So that the soil does not dry out, flower growers are placed on top layer moss, it will allow you to retain the necessary moisture. For irrigation use only distilled or settled water at room temperature. It is worth remembering that although the flycatcher loves moisture, constant dampness is detrimental to it, so you need to water the plant as the soil dries up. In the summer, the flycatcher is watered more often, but in the fall, watering is reduced, as the plant is preparing for a dormant period.

Dionea soil loves sour, it can be purchased at ready-made in shops and flower shops or do it yourself. To do this, mix 2 parts of peat and 1 part of perlite. The latter must be soaked in water for at least 7 days, this will reduce the level of mineral salts in the composition. You can also use a mixture of 2 parts peat and 2 parts coarse sand.

Transplant and top dressing

The best time for this event is early spring or early summer. It is important not to touch the traps during the transplantation process, otherwise they will slam shut for 10 days without receiving the necessary feeding. To do this, the bush must be held by the stems at its base. A recess is made in the soil and the bulb is placed strictly in the center, gently pouring soil around the circumference. The capacity is chosen spacious enough for the root system, as it likes to grow to the sides, and not in a ball down. Experts recommend repotting the plant once every 2 years, as it does not grow quickly.

Fertilization for this flower is not required, since the main type of top dressing is the insects that it catches. Dionea is able to catch no more than 3-4 flies during the active season. If ornamental plant cannot get food on his own at home, then the owner should take care of this. It is also worth knowing that you do not need to provoke him to slam the flower, since he will be able to reopen at least a week later, besides, the digestion process will be started automatically, and it takes too much energy to release the juice.

In general, caring for a flycatcher at home is completely simple, even a novice florist can handle it. The main thing is not to violate the basic requirements and take care of the flowers with care and caution so as not to disturb them once again.

flycatcher breeding

For breeding, you can use 3 different methods, this is the division of the root system, reproduction with the help of leaves and seeds.

Separation of the root system should be carried out in the summer. At the beginning of this season, young growths in the form of slices appear at the bulb. As soon as roots appear on them, they can be divided. Each segment serves as a new planting material.

Venus flytrap seeds can be purchased at the store or collected from your flower. A seed is planted to a depth of 5 mm, the pot is taken initially small size, and some even use peat glasses. Moisture must be retained for the first time in the soil, and for this they put on a pot plastic bag. When properly planted, these carnivores can produce their first shoots in as little as 15 to 20 days.

You can also use the next option. A leaf from a plant is placed in a glass of water and waiting for the root to appear, as soon as the first threads appear, it can be planted in a small container with sandy-peat soil.

Reproduction by dividing the bulb is considered less troublesome and more efficient.

Dionea wintering

With the onset of cold weather, the flycatcher goes into a dormant period. In order for this period not to be violated and the plant to restore its strength, the following must be done:

1. It is necessary to provide a certain temperature regime. Optimum temperature it is considered from -10 to +2 ° С. It is not always possible to do this in an ordinary living room, so you can use a balcony or basement.
2. Watering with sufficient air humidity is stopped completely or carried out once a month, adding water to the pan.
3. For the dormant period, you need to provide good shading. To do this, special paper is glued to the windows or blinds are closed.
4. With the onset of spring, the dionea is placed in a well-lit place and watered as usual. This will allow her to slowly come out of her sleep period.

It is important to remember that this is a rather fragile flower with a quick reaction, you should not disturb it unnecessarily. In the spring, you can independently put insects in traps, this will allow the plant to quickly gain strength for active growth. Before purchasing this exotic flower it is worth learning how to care for him and what features there are in this matter. If everything is done correctly, then the flower will delight with its size and protect housing from annoying insects.

Dionea flycatcher (Dionaea muscipula), also called "Venus flytrap" is the most famous "predator" plant on the North American continent. This is the only species in the genus.

Venus flytrap(lat. Dionaea muscipula) - view carnivorous plants from the monotypic genus Dionea of ​​the Rosyankovye family (Droseraceae). The scientific specific name (muscipula) is translated from Latin as "mousetrap", probably by mistake of a botanist, at least that's what is commonly believed. Russian name The view was given in honor of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and plants. English name species (eng. Venus flytrap) corresponds to Russian.

An adult copy of the flycatcher (it catches and assimilates not only flies, but also mosquitoes and other insects) usually does not exceed 15 cm. In spring, the Venus flytrap blooms with white flowers on a long peduncle.

The original habitat of the carnivorous Dionea is peat bogs in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina (USA). Venus flytraps grow in an area called "savannah" - consisting of relief lowland "islands" with an area of ​​​​1 to 5 hectares (no more than fifty of them have survived in their virgin form).

The trap of the Venus flytrap consists of two halves-shutters, vaguely resembling the opening shells of mollusks in their structure. Along the edges of the valves are two rows of teeth. Glands are located along the rim of the valve, along the inner row of teeth of the trap. They produce and secrete a pleasant-smelling nectar that attracts insects to the trap. Each of the two inner flat surfaces of the dionea trap is equipped with three trigger hairs. If insects in the process of absorbing nectar repeatedly touch these hairs, then the trap begins to close.

At first, the Venus flytrap trap is only slightly covered, and the insects have the opportunity to move back and forth within the trap. If the insect is small, in principle, it has a chance to avoid the deplorable fate of being eaten and escape by slipping through the hole between the teeth. When this happens, the triggers stop being stimulated and the trap fully opens again (about a day later). Dionea simply needs this response mechanism: it is he who helps prevent the loss of time for a “false triggering” of the trap due to extraneous interference (for example, raindrops, wind-blown sticks, twigs or chitinous shells of insects).

But if the bug that got into the trap of the dionea trap could not get out of it, then the stimulation of triggers continues, the trap closes more and more tightly. The process of digestion begins. From the glands located on the inner surfaces of the valves of the trap of the Venus flytrap, digestive juice is abundantly secreted - the insect completely drowns in this liquid. The trap remains closed for several days. When it finally opens, only the undigested chitinous shell of the former insect is exposed. Each Venus flytrap trap is designed for about three digestive processes, and then it dies.

There are two alternative hypotheses for the effect of this impulse. According to one of them, these cells rapidly release hydroxonium ions into the cell walls, loosening and causing their rapid swelling by osmosis. According to the second hypothesis, the cells in the inner layers of the blades and the middle part of the leaf rapidly secrete other ions, water is also released as a result of osmosis, which leads to cell collapse.

If the prey was unable to free itself, it continues to stimulate inner surface leaf blades, causing cell growth. Eventually, the edges of the sheets close, completely closing the trap and forming a "stomach" in which the digestion process takes place. Digestion is catalyzed by enzymes that are secreted by glands in the lobes. Digestion takes approximately 10 days, after which only an empty chitinous shell remains of the prey. After that, the trap opens and is ready to capture new prey. During the life of the trap, an average of three insects fall into it.

Venus Flytrap is perfect not only for decorating the windowsill, but also for an interesting introduction of your children to the fascinating and entertaining world of nature.

The first and most common misconception about the Venus Flytrap is that it requires a lot of complex care, since it comes from southern latitudes, it is very demanding on high temperature and humidity. In fact, these plants come from fairly cold northern latitudes and they are perennials.

These plants are found naturally in southeastern Northern California, growing in open, sunny, and moist grasslands. In addition, the Flycatcher grows in the northeastern swamps of South Carolina, preferring swamps with peaty and sandy soils. Although Flycatchers grow in marshes, they are extremely intolerant of stagnant air, and require several hours in full sun. In the winter dormant period, the vital activity of plants decreases, at such a time they prefer low temperatures and short days, which is much smaller than summer period number sunlight.

In order to achieve significant success in the cultivation of this plant, extreme attention should be paid to the conditions in which the Flycatcher grows in nature and what its requirements are, accordingly, to the natural factors surrounding it.

The growth cycle of the Venus Flytrap consists of four periods, with different types growth in each period. In the spring, coming out of winter dormancy, the plant produces a rosette of leaves, 2-4 inches (5-10cm) in diameter. at the same time, several stems with white flowers may appear.

In summer, several more types of leaves appear. On top of the lower leaves pressed low to the ground, new ones grow, which are held high enough on the stems above the ground. Traps grow out of them. Leaves with traps grow constantly, replacing their dead predecessors.

When the days begin to get shorter and colder, the plant begins to prepare for hibernation, during this period only the lower rosette of leaves remains.
The flycatcher belongs to semi-evergreen plants. Even in winter period a few leaves remain on the surface. The leaves are quite tolerant of frost, but in extreme cold they can die off. The underground part remains alive. Tiny bulbs that look like lily bulbs are gaining strength to thrive next spring.

Flycatcher can be grown in swamp gardens, terrariums with appropriate microclimate, even if you decide to keep it on a windowsill, it will do quite well. If the plant is growing on a windowsill, place the Flycatcher pot in a tray or container filled with 2-3 centimeters of rainwater or distilled water. Under no circumstances should the soil be allowed to dry out. The plant should be kept in a window where it will be guaranteed several hours of light, preferably in the morning, since the midday sun can scorch the plants. Probably the most interesting thing for Flycatcher owners is its feeding, after all, it is for this purpose that carnivorous plants are usually purchased, but it should be in moderation. The flycatcher should be given soft insects that can be easily digested by its traps. If you overfeed the leaf, it may die. In no case should Muholova be fed fried and raw meat, or very large insects, since they are not completely digested by the plant, which causes the process of decay inside the trap.

Providing sufficient and natural amount of light for the Flycatcher daily will help the plant to go into a state of winter dormancy in time. This will be a consequence of the reduction in the amount of sunlight closer to autumn. At this time, new leaves practically do not grow, and only a small rosette of them remains. The flycatcher should be provided low temperature, in order for the plant to enter a state of winter dormancy. The pot with the plant can no longer be kept in a pan with water, but at the same time, make sure that the earth does not dry out, then the Flycatcher should be placed in a room with a temperature of 2 - 10 ˚С. For this purpose, an unheated basement or a room, or a section in the refrigerator, with the appropriate temperature, is perfect. At winter storage flytraps in the refrigerator, the plant pot should be placed in a plastic bag to prevent the soil from drying out. Lighting during this period is not at all necessary for the Flycatcher, however, during the winter it must be checked regularly to prevent drying out, or vice versa - decay. Hibernation for this plant is extremely important, if it grows continuously throughout the year, it may die from a lack of energy.

With the onset of warm spring days, the plant can be taken out again to its original place, and soon its growth will resume. At this time, the Flycatcher blooms and noticeably increases in size. In the same period, it can be transplanted using a peat or peat-sand mixture. Regular garden soil mixes should not be used as they are not suitable for Flycatcher in terms of acidity.

Growing Flycatcher in terrariums imitating a swamp is practically no different from growing in pots. The only difference is that in a terrarium it is a little more difficult to provide sufficient lighting. For the normal growth of the Flycatcher, a terrarium with a volume of 40-75 liters will suffice. The bottom of the terrarium can be laid out with a layer of moss and peat, or a peat-sand mixture. Since the soil must constantly be moistened, a drainage layer is not necessary. For irrigation, use only distilled or rain water, insofar as minerals from untreated water will accumulate in this soil. In order to provide a sufficient amount of illumination, a 40 watt fluorescent lamp can be used, which should be installed at a height of 20-30 cm above the plants. It should be borne in mind that the higher the terrarium, the more difficult it is to light it. The duration of artificial lighting should be adjusted depending on the season. During the Flycatcher's transition to winter dormancy, the terrarium should be moved to an unheated basement or room, or removed from the terrarium, leaving some moss and peat, placed in plastic bags and transferred to the refrigerator.

If it allows climate zone, Venus Muholova can be grown in a garden on the street, creating the pre-requisite conditions. At the same time, she will feel and look much better than when grown in flowerpots or terrariums. The flycatcher is planted in pots with a depth of at least 20 cm and a width of at least 30 cm. For planting, a peat and peat-sand mixture is used, on top of which it is desirable to lay a layer of moss so that the peat does not wash out during rains and thunderstorms. You need to make sure that the plants do not dry out and at the same time, you need to choose a well-lit place. When the Flycatcher grows outdoors, it can feed itself and will delight you with excellent results. Being constantly in the fresh air, with natural lighting, it will bloom in time, and go to winter rest. If the winter in your area is not very cold, the Flycatcher can be left to winter outside, otherwise it is better to spend the winter in a cold basement or refrigerator, as described earlier.

At the exhibition of exotic flowers, my son liked the flycatcher flower the most. Knowing my love for different plants, on the same evening he began to ask to plant such a flower at home.

I did not promise anything, because I have never noticed similar predators in the shops of my city. But for the sake of interest, I looked on the Internet, and ... without difficulty I found the seeds of the Venus flytrap. Curious, I ordered. And she has grown!

In the wild, this miracle lives in North America, choosing the most marshy areas. Carolina, Florida, New Jersey - if you ever find yourself in one of the listed states, look well under your feet!

It looks something like this:

The botanists who discovered it did not immediately figure out what the flower eats, so they called it “mascipula”, that is, “mousetrap” in Latin.

What will such a flower eat?

Only insects, and always alive. If you touch the flower with the tip of a pen (do not shove your fingers into the "mouth" of the predator) or put a seed in the flycatcher's mouth, it will close this mouth, but then open it again. An immovable seed will seem to Dionysus garbage.

In general, playing with dionea, forcing it to constantly open and close its "mouth", is not worth it - the plant will overwork and may even die. It's a pity.

• Having caught a midge or a fly, she will digest it for a couple of days, and when she then opens her mouth again, an empty chitinous (hard) shell will appear inside. You can blow on the flycatcher, removing this rubbish.

• It costs to feed the flycatcher 3-4 times a month, and not the whole bush at a time, but only a few traps.
• Insects should be small. If the sashes do not close completely during the meal, an infection can get inside.
• How to feed your "animal"? It is best if the Venus flytrap grows in a closed space - a pludarium, florarium, and the like. It will be easier to maintain the desired humidity there. Just release the flies inside, and the flycatcher will decide for itself when to catch them.
• Where to get flies? You will not believe it, but if you enter something like “buy live flies” into a search engine, it will give you a lot of sites that distribute such goods. Moreover, their range is large: locusts for frogs, and larvae for fish, and flies for spiders ...
• When you need to put a flycatcher on a diet and not feed your pet: she is sick, she was recently transplanted, she was burned by the sun, Dionea is in "hibernation". Without flies, the plant will live for a month, and if anything, then two.

Does Dionea have species

Yes, many! Maybe there are not so many of them in the wild, but since people became interested in Diones and the first people appeared who wanted to grow this “miracle Yudo” on the windowsill, breeders have joined the cause, sensitively monitoring the appearance of any mutations. And now we (although in the majority - buyers of Asian stores) have dozens of species.

I will tell and show the most interesting ones.

• Akai Ryu. Dark purple specimen. This flower is beautiful, besides, it will fit into the interiors in which the green dionea will be out of place. Varieties with a similar color (but a slightly different form of traps): Red dragon, Red piranha.

• Dracula. Don't be scared, this is not a human-sized trap, it's just the angle of the photo. In general, this is quite a typical dionea, however, her teeth are sharp, frequent and tenacious.

• Triton. light green look. True, the teeth of the flycatcher let us down - they are more like cilia, often stick together.

• Bristletooth. This is a hybrid, not terrible (the teeth are very small), but it grows a lot of children.

• Fondue. And this mutant looks very unhappy: teeth different size, unevenly spaced, the “sponges” of the flycatcher are crumpled ... Nevertheless, this variety sells very well!

• Long red fingers (Long red fingers). Another hybrid mutant whose teeth resemble long scarlet cilia.

• Low giant. The "mouths" of this flower are the largest of all species.

An important point: when buying hybrid seeds, remember that you can grow not a dionea of ​​a rare color, but a “watermelon”, that is mother plant. The varietal features of the Venus flytrap are transmitted not by seeds, but by children.

If you take care of the flower like this, it will definitely take root ...

As a pop star, this plant would definitely write three things on its rider: “hibernation” in cold conditions, high humidity, and tasty flies for breakfast. If you are ready to provide the flycatcher with such conditions, it will delight you with its healthy toothy “traps” for a long time.

"Hibernation"

A prerequisite for growing dionea.

You don’t need to light the plant at all in winter, feed it too, rarely remember about watering (just slightly moisten the soil). As for the air temperature, it should be from 2 to 10 degrees.

The flower should winter from 3 to 4 months.

• The signal for the beginning of "hibernation" will be the leaves that have fallen down.
• You can tie the flower in an opaque bag and hide it in the refrigerator, on the bottom shelf. Just remember to make a couple of holes in the bag so that the flower does not suffocate. Check the soil every 2-3 weeks to see if it needs to be watered.
• Also good places for Dionea there will be a closed, unheated balcony and a cellar.

If you did everything right, he will repay you in the spring ... with the appearance of a flower or flowers. Yes, traps are leaves, not flowers. And the plant blooms like this:

You can pollinate them yourself to get healthy seeds. Or you can immediately cut off the peduncle, because the plant spends a lot of energy on it and weakens.

How does this miracle reproduce?

• seeds

If you have already sown house flowers, you can do it: the seeds are sown in the soil for flycatchers, covered with foil, aired and sprayed. Seedlings hatch in 1-2 weeks. In a month they can dive.

Want more visibility? Here, I picked up the most specific review of planting Dionea seeds. You will see how a sprout will hatch from a tiny seed, how it will get stronger and raise its head ... Beauty, and nothing that is predatory!

• The division of the bush

When transplanting an old plant in the spring, you may notice that it has grown babies.

Plant each in a separate pot. Just check if the babies have roots. If they are fused with the "mother", they can be carefully cut.

After the transplant, you can water the plants with Epin, this is not food, but an energy drink that will help the dioneas to quickly grow the root system necessary for life.

By the way! Dionea is not the only "green predator" in nature. I propose to evaluate the video review of a private collection of flycatchers. Did you know about the existence of such plants?

Until recently, the market for indoor plants did not please with diversity. Now you can find anything. It is not always possible to properly care for a plant, especially if it is very unusual. For example, such as the Venus flytrap - a plant that feeds on insects.

house predator

Recently, the demand for exotic indoor plants has been growing. Many flower growers are no longer interested in growing ordinary violets and ficuses, so it is not surprising that "predators" appear more and more often in houses. Insectivorous plants look very unusual, and some of them are also quite unpretentious. In addition, a predatory flower is very strange even for those who are indifferent to the exotic. So such a hobby as growing insectivorous plants unequivocally characterizes a person as a person with outstanding interests.

Venus flytrap

Dionea is one of the most popular predator plants for home keeping. Its second and more popular name is the Venus flytrap, and the Latin name is Dionaea Muscipula. Moreover, an annoying and extremely funny mistake crept into it. The fact is that the plant "flycatcher" in Latin should be called muscicipula, but it is believed that the botanist who gave the name to the flower did not add one syllable, resulting in a "mousetrap". And this caused confusion.

Dionea's homeland - peat bogs North America, however, in last years its habitat is steadily shrinking. This plant was first described in 1759, and, of course, it amazed everyone. A carnivorous representative of the flora - for that time it was a real fantasy. Leaves unusual shape, resembling a trap and closing with lightning speed when touched - what could be more amazing? At first glance, the absurd hypothesis that insects falling into a trap serve as food for the plant was confirmed. In the future, marsh flowers already familiar to botanists were caught in a meat "diet". But it was Dionea who opened the eyes of scientists and allowed them to take a fresh look at the seemingly harmless world of greenery.

By the way, this is exactly the flycatcher - a plant whose photo and description inspired science fiction writers, animators and screenwriters to create giant carnivorous flowers that even devour people. Dionea looks very predatory and dangerous even for a person. In fact, according to scientists, predator plants acquired such a feature as a result of growing on very poor nutrients soils. To get what they needed, they were forced to acquire an unusual survival mechanism.

Varieties

Despite the variety on the market, the Dionaea muscipula species is the only one, it has no close relatives. But breeders have bred a large number of different varieties, so indoor plant flycatcher is a choice of several colors and sizes. And yet it usually small flower, its leaves are collected in a rosette and can be placed both horizontally and vertically. With a sufficient variety of varieties, they have one thing in common - predatory inclinations. Despite the fact that the flycatcher plant has been grown at home for a long time, it has not lost this feature, which is valuable for flower growers.

Hunting

Seeing Dionea for the first time and not knowing about its features, you might think that this is an ordinary flower with amazing leaves. But observing the procedure of his nutrition makes it clear that everything is not so simple. This can be compared with the hunting process of predators in the animal kingdom. At first, she seems to be waiting for a convenient moment when the victim can no longer slip away. The trap rapidly slams shut, and it is already impossible to get out of it, because the leaves are compressed more and more, forming a dense "pouch". Within a few days, digestive enzymes dissolve the body of the victim, leaving only a chitinous shell. After the meal is over, the trap will open again, allowing the wind to blow away the leftovers.

All this looks so exciting that it seems as if Dionea has a mind. In fact, all processes are caused by chemical reactions. In response to irritation of special villi, cells react by releasing certain substances, under the influence of which the leaf geometry changes, and the trap closes. This interesting process has been studied in detail with the help of modern technologies, therefore, the fact that Dionea does not have the cunning of a predator is for sure. But still, watching the hunt, it is sometimes difficult not to forget that the flycatcher is a plant.

How to care?

Many flower growers do not dare to take up the content of Dionea, because it seems that she is extremely capricious. In fact, the flycatcher plant grows perfectly at home, if you know what these very conditions are important for it. And there are only two of them - light and water, which will be discussed a little later. Otherwise, Dionea is extremely unpretentious: air humidity can fluctuate over a very wide range, temperature is also not very important. Venus flytrap can be much less capricious than many familiar plants.

Another difficulty is that it is not always possible to find it on sale. Of course, you can plant flycatcher seeds, which are easy to purchase, but it can take quite a long time before a full-fledged plant develops from them, it’s easier to buy a seedling. And you still need to know when to do it and what to do next.

Here is such an unusual venus flytrap plant. How to take care of her, if she does not look like a peaceful flower at all?

Purchase and transplant

Acquire a flower better in spring or early summer. Of course, this can be done in late autumn, but then the chances of the plant surviving are minimal. The fact is that dionea falls into a kind of hibernation in winter, when its aerial part dies off, while it requires certain conditions. If you skip this period, then death from exhaustion is almost inevitable. This is the reason for the recommendation on the time of its acquisition during the period when the flower enters the phase of active growth.

As a rule, dionea is sold immediately in the right substrate, so there is no need for an urgent transplant. If it is still required, you need to opt for peat, you can even clean it - it will do just fine.

Light and water

Dionea has special requirements for the amount of sun and the quality of watering. There should be a lot of light - ideally, it should stand under direct rays. It may seem that this will provoke burns on the leaves, but this is not the case. The scorching sun, which is detrimental to most plants, only benefits the flycatcher.

The second condition is water. It should be not just pure, but distilled. Unfortunately, the liquid that flows from the faucet contains too many impurities, and dionea requires gentle watering through the pan. This should be done often, but not too much - the substrate should always be wet, do not forget that the flycatcher is a swamp plant.

Flowering and reproduction

Although the vegetative process is most often of little concern to those who keep a flycatcher at home, it can be interesting. Flowering occurs in spring - buds open on long vertical stems in anticipation of pollinators. Fruits with seeds ripen later. After collecting them, you can try to germinate them, but shoots can only be expected in about a month.

The most popular way is to divide the bush. The fact is that as the plant grows, the flycatcher grows daughter bulbs, which can be separated from the main one when they develop sufficiently. This should be done immediately after leaving the winter dormancy period. Another method is cuttings, but it requires a huge amount of light and 100% humidity.

Other Features and Complexities

Some people perceive dionea as fun - they touch the leaves, making them slam shut, catch and try to feed flies to her - after all, the hunt is spectacular, everyone wants to see firsthand how the plant eats an insect. But for a flower, this is unnecessary stress, and active interference in its life and attempts to feed it can only lead to its premature death.

Contrary to rumors, the flycatcher plant does not need enough protein food to need help. No need to put pieces of meat or other protein products in the leaves. In the event that it is necessary, Dionea will cope with this task herself. If insects are not observed at all, then it is better to simply feed the flower with well-diluted organic fertilizers.

Blackening of the leaves - not always bad sign. Of course, this may indicate the need to reduce watering, but more often this is the simple death of old shoots.

Wintering and getting out of it

One of the most difficult steps in caring for a flycatcher is sending it to hibernation and spring awakening. It is during this period that domestic specimens die most often. The fact is that during wintering, the flycatcher plant needs a certain stable temperature regime, humidity and little light. Those who have dealt with bulbous plants, cope with this task easily, but it will not be easy for inexperienced flower growers.

The fact is that during this period the flycatcher plant requires a minimum, but stable positive temperature, it is enough high humidity and some light. At the same time, the transition to new conditions should not occur too abruptly. Often flower growers during this period put it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. It is worth remembering that in this case it is necessary to ensure air circulation and prevent the complete drying of the soil, as well as decay. Feeding during this period is not necessary, and it simply will not work, because during hibernation the aerial part will die off so as not to waste extra energy on maintaining it.

With the onset of sunny days, it is necessary to start leaving the wintering, returning the dionea to a bright window sill and gradually increasing watering. If necessary, you can make a transplant. If everything is done correctly, then the active growth of new leaves and traps will begin very soon.

Of course, there are difficulties in caring for dionea, and one of them is the correct entry and exit from the dormant period. But if this succeeded, then other problems with the flycatcher will not be terrible.